Annali dell'Istituto Superiore di Sanità
Not a member yet
755 research outputs found
Sort by
Analysis of suspected adverse reactions to food supplements containing beehive products: an update from the Italian Phytovigilance System
Full text linkIntroduction. Beehive products are widely used in food supplements; however, their composition variability and allergenic components have raised some concerns. This work aims to provide information about the beehive products safety profile by evaluating the suspected adverse reactions (ARs).Methods. The suspected report of ARs collected within the Italian Phytovigilance System (IPS) were evaluated. The clinical and demographic characteristics of the cases were described, and the causality assessment performed.Results. 61 reports were analysed, mainly concerned women. Serious events were reported in 17 forms (28%). The ARs (n=116) referred to respiratory (25.0%), skin (24.1%), and gastrointestinal disorders (21.5%). Label warnings for atopic subjects were present only in 7 food supplements. The causality assessment was mostly probable (54.1%).Conclusions. Present findings outline relevant information about the safety issues of beehive product consumption, especially in atopic or allergic subjects, and strengthen the importance of IPS to point out safety signals
COVID-19 in meat plants: activation of a Target Prevention Plan, in Italy
No full textBackground. During the COVID-19 pandemic, several outbreaks have been recorded worldwide in industrial slaughterhouses and meat-processing plants. Competent Italian health authorities at regional and provincial levels agreed on a risk-oriented control plan.Methods. Advocacy actions were activated, targeting meat plant managers and related food business operators. A questionnaire focused on the inventoried risk factors from literature was developed and administered voluntarily to interested stakeholders. In addition, an outbreak questionnaire was proposed to the prevention department of local health units.Results. From 2021 to 2022, 333 advocacy and 24 outbreak questionnaires on 4,765 inventoried plants were collected. The lack of awareness in updating the Risk Assessment Document for COVID-19, non-instrumental body temperature checks at the entrance, working force from different subcontractors, poor hygiene in shared places, and insufficient ventilation were the main critical points recorded.Conclusions. Results provide a post hoc review with an eye toward future zoonotic pandemics
Dementia among migrants in Italy: a qualitative study of the ImmiDem project
Full text linkIntroduction. In recent years, the number of migrants referred to centres for cognitive disorders and dementias has increased. The aim of this study was to provide information on the provision of care for migrants with dementia through the perceptions and experiences of the professionals and caregivers involved.Methods. The study is an exploratory qualitative research. Between 2020 and 2021, three focus group, involving caregiver and professionals were organized.Results. The study explored several areas of care provision including needs, cultural representation of dementia, strengths and weaknesses and opportunities for improvement in care provision.Discussion and conclusions. The perceptions of people directly involved in dementia care provide critical insights into the functioning of the care system, capturing nuances that standard care practices may overlook. Disorientation between services, languagebarriers and cultural representations of the disease are the main obstacles to continuity of care. A more holistic approach, which also addresses the emotional and social implications of dementia, is essential in ensuring equitable, timely and culturally sensitive care
Publications from International Organizations on Public Health
Full text linkThe Publications from International Organizations on Public Health section includes a wider selection of the most recent publications edited by the main international organizations active in the field of public health, such as: the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the World Health Organization (WHO)
Clinical medical practice and stigma towards patients with substance use disorder in an Italian sample of healthcare workers
Full text linkIntroduction. People with substance use disorder (SUD) face challenges like stigma and discrimination, impacting their healthcare experiences. Aim. This study aims to: (i) assess physicians’ clinical practices and stigma toward SUD patients among healthcare personnel and (ii) explore the relationship among stigma, psychological well-being, and burnout.Methods. A survey covering sociodemographic data, physicians’ clinical practices, stigmatizing attitudes, psychological well-being, and burnout was completed by 1,796 employees of the Veneto’s Local Health Units (Italy).Results. Healthcare professionals reported increased stigma towards SUDs (p-values<0.05). Stigma consistently correlated with variables such as sex, profession, department, and levels of burnout (p-values<0.05). Notably, high burnout levels were associated with increased stigma. Staff in addiction departments displayed lower stigma levels compared to other departments. No significant differences were found in physicians’clinical practices.Conclusions. Targeted training for healthcare professionals is crucial to reduce stigma, enhance attitudes toward SUDs, and broaden overall knowledge of the condition
Serious games in child and adolescent health education campaigns: a systematic review
Full text linkBackground. The use of playful tools to promote children’s and adolescents’ health in schools is growing. Educational games are proven tools for promoting virtuous behaviours. This systematic review explores the significance of serious games in promoting health education among young audiences, particularly about hand, oral and respiratory hygiene, immunisation, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and sexually transmitted infections.Methods. This study was conducted in March 2023 on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Embase using the population, exposure, outcome, and study design framework (PEOS). Articles in English and Italian were published within the past decade regardingcampaigns with educational games on hygiene for students aged 3 to 19 years who do not have chronic conditions or disabilities. Final screening resulted in including the study of 40 articles of the 1577 records initially extracted.Results. The results indicate that play positively influences the quality of learning. Serious games have been demonstrated to have a high potential in child and adolescent health education campaigns.Conclusions. Games can effectively engage young individuals, promote healthy behaviors, prevent diseases and enhance health literacy. As serious games continue to evolve, further research and collaboration are needed to utilize their full potential to improvechildren’s and adolescents’ health and well-being worldwide
Evaluation of four common electronic mosquito repellers on Aedes albopictus and Culex pipiens
Full text linkIntroduction. Mosquitoes represent a way of spreading infectious diseases, as vectors of pathogens. Many types of ultrasonic devices have recently been promoted as effective and suitable alternatives to the use of biocides known as toxic to humans and environment.Materials and methods. Four ultrasonic mosquito repellers have been analysed and tested on females of two species, Culex pipiens and Aedes albopictus, in laboratory conditions. The behavior of the mosquitoes of reaching the attractant, with the repellers bothat ON and OFF, was observed.Results. The total mean number of Cx. pipiens interested to attractant when the repellers were ON was 2.8 versus 2.9 at OFF. The total mean number of Ae. albopictus interested to attractant when the repellers were ON was 5.5 versus 6.1 at OFF.Conclusions. The repellence efficacy resulted not significant (P>0.05) in all the electronic ultrasound repellers tested. The number of mosquitoes of both species, displaying the attractant’s search behavior appeared independent from the switch ON/OFF mode.Open questions remain: the need of conducting further research to establish a relationship between ultrasonic emission and mosquito effective disturbance
Recommendations for preventing sentinel events: results of a national cross-sectional survey in Italy
Full text linkIntroduction. In 2005, the Italian Ministry of Health entrusted the National Agency for Regional Healthcare Services (Agenzia Nazionale per i Servizi Sanitari Regionali, AGENAS) with the task of monitoring the implementation of recommendations to prevent sentinel events, which are serious adverse events that can compromise patient safety. The aim is to provide Regions and healthcare facilities with a standardised method for managing these events. Currently, there are nineteen recommendations developed with the support of regional experts and other stakeholders.Objective. This study assessed the applicability and implementation of these recommendations in Italy, also comparing data on the most frequently reported sentinel events. Materials and Methods. The study, conducted from March to October 2023, involvedall acute care, rehabilitation, and post-acute long-term care facilities, both public and private. A questionnaire was used to gather information on the applicability and implementation of the recommendations as of December 31, 2022. The data were analysedusing the statistical software Jamovi.Results. 34.7% of the facilities found no recommendations applicable, while 18.4% considered all 19 recommendations. Regarding implementation, 35.5% did not implement any recommendations, while 11.3% implemented all 19. In particular, Recommendation 4(“Prevention of patient suicide in hospital”) was not implemented by 16% of the facilities.Conclusions. The applicability of the recommendations varies depending on the type of facility. The implementation rate is influenced by the diversity of participating facilities. The low implementation of Recommendation 4 suggests a need for further investigationto understand the challenges faced
Consequences of COVID-19 pandemic on weight gain and physical activity: a prospective cohort study from Italy
Full text linkIntroduction. It is crucial to monitor changes in body weight and physical activity (PA) to understand if short-term effects of COVID-19 pandemic have had implications over time.Methods. This longitudinal study is based on data from 4,831 Italians aged 18-74 years interviewed during the first phase of COVID-19 pandemic (April-May 2020) and two years later (February-March 2022). Changes in body weight and PA were assessed through multivariable analyses in association with socio-demographic and psychological characteristics.Results. Over the two years, 17.4% reported a weight gain of at least 5 kg and 32.8% a decreased PA by at least 4 hours per week. Weight gain and decreased PA were more frequent in participants from the less wealthy areas, with lower educational level and those who reported a worsening in mental health.Conclusions. After two years from the start of the pandemic, in Italy we observed a trend toward a renormalization of body weight and PA. The segments of the population mostly affected by the pandemic are subjects with more disadvantaged socio-economic status and with an impaired mental health
Publications from International Organizations on Public Health
Full text linkThe Publications from International Organizations on Public Health section includes a wider selection of the most recent publications edited by the main international organizations active in the field of public health, such as: the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the World Health Organization (WHO)